FOUR families were evacuated amid fears of an explosion after a car smashed into a house, fracturing a gas pipe outside.

FOUR families were evacuated amid fears of an explosion after a car smashed into a house, fracturing a gas pipe outside.

One woman was taken to hospital for checks after inhaling gas following the incident at Rowley Regis.

Firefighters called in gas engineers to carry out repairs.

The drama unfolded about 7am yesterday in Tippity Green when a passing vehicle skidded into a parked car, shunting it into the terrace house.

No damage was caused to the property but an outside gas pipe leading to the internal meter was fractured, causing a leak.

The occupants of the house fled to safety and as gas levels reached danger point, neighbours were woken by fire-fighters and also evacuated.

Station officer Roger Barnett, of Oldbury fire station, said about a dozen people were moved to safety from four houses in the terrace and made arrangements to stay with relatives while repairs were carried out.

"After the pipe was fractured, the gas began seeping into the basements of the houses and reached potentially explosive levels," he said. "The occupants of the house where the pipe was got out and called us. Their neighbours left voluntarily and we had to knock up others and evacuate them.

"One young woman inhaled some gas and was taken to hospital for checks as a precaution."